Darth Nox Guide – Sith Lord Rising

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Darth Nox is a character shrouded in mystery. Not just in the lore but in real life. If you google them, you’ll see conflicting information. For example, most websites disagree about their race and gender. This is because Darth Vox is a character that hasn’t made an appearance outside of Star Wars: The Old Republic, the game they were introduced in. The confusion surrounding the Darth Nox is because specific details depend on the player’s choices rather than on the lore itself. Darth Nox is playable via the Sith inquisitor Storyline. We’ll be going through this storyline and including all the significant events that lead the character to achieve the title of Darth Nox.

Because race and gender are player dependent, I will refer to Nox by they/them pronouns.

Key Info Upfront

During the Great Galactic War, the Sith are winning against the Galactic Republic and the Jedi, thus allowing the Sith to conquer and enslave new worlds all over the galaxy. To strengthen their numbers in the ongoing campaign against the Republic, the Sith took slaves and forced them to join the Sith Academy. One of those slaves was named  Darth Nox, who was at the time named Kallig.

Being a slave, Kallig and the other acolytes faces discrimination for being seen as unworthy to hold the title of Sith. It should also be noted that if you make your character an alien, on top of discrimination from being a slave, you’ll also experience alien discrimination from humans. Despite the discrimination they faced, Kallig would pass their trials at the Sith academy and become an apprentice to Lord Zash. Through Kallig’s rise to power from apprentice to Lord and finally sitting on the Dark council of the Sith, they would become enemies with Darth Thanaton, another former slave turned Sith Lord.

The defeat of Darth Thanaton in front of the Dark council of Sith would earn Sith Lord Kallig the name Darth Nox.

Humble Beginnings

There once was Great Galactic War ( actually, there were multiple, but we’re focusing on the first), and the sith have taken several battles against the Jedi and the Republic. After gaining a foothold in the war, the Sith took the opportunity to strengthen their numbers by taking slaves and forcing them to become Sith. Right about now, you might be wondering if taking slaves and giving them unimaginable power was counterproductive for the Sith Empire; however, the idea was to take them and mold them at a young age so that the only home they knew was the Sith Empire. One of the slaves that used to fill out their ranks was named Kallig. Depending on the player’s choice Kallig and thus Darth Nox could be one of five races: Human, Twi’lek, Rattataki, Zabrak, or Sith pure blood.

Kallig arrives at the sith academy on Korriban with others to be trained as an acolyte in the hopes of becoming Lord Zash’s new apprentice.

Kallig Korriban Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising
Image from Fandom

The Overseer of their training, Harkun finds it insulting that a slave could become an apprentice to a Sith Lord, so he adds Sith pure blood, Ffon Althe, to the group in hopes Ffon would be the only one left to survive the trials.

Trials of the Sith

To be considered for an apprenticeship, Kallig had to pass six trials:

  • First trial: Defeating six of Lord Splindrall’s Acolytes.
  • Second trial: Torturing information out of an acolyte named Alif.
  • Third trial: Obtain a Holocran that no other Sith has been able to obtain in 1000 years.
  • Fourth trial: Recover text from Tulak Hords tomb.
  • Fifth trial: The next “trial” was Harkun sending two acolytes to assassinate Kallig.
  • Sixth trial: The last trial is retrieving a map from Naga Sadow’s tomb.
Mission to Naga Sadow's tomb Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising
Image from Fandom

Kallig realizes the final trial is acquiring a map from Naga Sadow’s Tomb, which can only be found with the help of a creature called a Dashade. Harkun then tells Kallig that this trial will be a race between them and Ffon and that Ffon has already left. This conversation is interrupted by Lord Zash, who tells Kallig and Harkun that the translated text from Tulak Hord’s tomb has vital information to obtain the map.

Using the information from the text, Kallig awakens a Dashade named Khem Val. After an intense battle, Khem Val swears loyalty and servitude to Kallig and leads them to the map.

To Harkuns dismay, Kallig succeeds, despite their trials mainly being comprised of acquiring artifacts other Siths have failed to obtain for thousands of years. Which I feel is the Sith equivalent of an entry-level job at a fast food chain requiring ten years of experience in rocket science.

After Kallig’s final trial, Zash makes them her apprentice and kills Ffon to teach Harkun a lesson. Kalliq, now a Sith apprentice, is gifted Zash’s old lightsaber, symbolizing the bond between master and apprentice. Kallig takes time to rejoice at their new promotion and the murder of their biggest rival.

Apprentice to Darth Zash

Aloysius Kallig Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising
Image from Fandom

After being made apprentice, Kallig’s first job was to obtain the five Tulak Hords artifacts for a ritual for their master Zash. However, before Kallig can begin their task, they’re interrupted by Darth Skotia, a rival and superior to Lord Zash. Skotia sends two of their apprentices to kill Kallig, but they’re defeated through the combined efforts of Kallig and Khem Val.

After the failed attempt on Kallig’s life, Zash puts in motion a plan to kill Skotia using a device that would shut down the cybernetic parts of his body. The plan succeeds, and Kallig kills Skotia. So naturally, Zash is the prime suspect in the murder. However, while Kallig was killing Skotia, Zash was at a Sith party, which Zash refers to as boring. Unfortunately, she does not explain how the Sith, whose entire philosophy is based on self-indulgence and passion, could throw a boring party.

Search for Tulak Hords Artifacts

Search For Tulak Hords Artifacts Dark Temple Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising
Image from Fandom

Because of Kallig’s inexperience, no one suspects them, and since they can’t prove Zash had anything to do with it, Zash takes Skotia’s place and becomes Darth Zash. Darth Zash promotes Kallig from Acolyte to Sith Lord and sends them to obtain the Tulak Hords Artifacts.

Upon going after the first artifact, Kallig meets the Force ghost of their ancestor Aloysius Kallig. Aloysius tells them they must restore the Kallig name to greatness and never trust another Sith.

After retrieving the remaining artifacts, Kallig begins the ritual with Darth Zash, and Aloysius warning bares fruit as Zash tries to pull an Orichimaru on Kallig and steal their body. Thus exemplifying why we should never tolerate toxic workplaces. You run their errands, put in overtime, and they turn around and try to steal your body.

Body Snatching

Darth Zash reveals her true form, which is old and moldy similar to Darth Sidious’s appearance. She explains various rituals have kept her looking young but to reach her dream of immortality, she’d need Kallig’s young body. To get Kallig to agree to the ritual Darth Zash employs the most insidious of Sith tricks, asking Kallig nicely. Darth Zash is under the impression that Kallig is such a loyal follower that they will willingly give up their body.

Kallig refuses, and a fight ensues. Zash gets the upper hand and is about to complete the ritual when Khem Val attacks her and disrupts the ritual. The ritual goes horribly (hilariously?) wrong and ends with Zash and Khem Val sharing a body. Because Khem has sworn loyalty to Kallig, Khem can’t disobey Kallig even when Zash controls the body. This would prove helpful as Zash’s knowledge would be beneficial.

Zash’s original body lays there lifeless as her followers walk in with Kallig standing over it. In preparation for taking Kalligs body, Zash told her apprentices that she had a dream where her strongest apprentice would defeat her and that apprentice would bring new glory to the Sith. Because of this, the apprentices believe that Zash knowingly went to her death to fulfill this prophecy, and they swear loyalty to Kallig.

Battle With Darth Thanaton

Battle with Darth Thanaton Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising

Kallig reports directly to Darth Thanaton, Zash’s former superior. Thanaton seems unbothered by and even glad that Kallig killed Zash. Darth Thanaton tells Kallig they and their apprentices will be added to his power structure. With a new master, Kallig sets off on their first mission to retrieve the last writings of Darth Andru for Thanaton.

Force Walking Ritual

Upon arriving at Andru’s tomb, Kallig is confronted by Adru’s force ghost and is quickly overwhelmed by the ghost’s power. The Ghost of Aloysius saves Kallig. Aloysius then reveals that this plan was a trap. Thanaton knew Kallig was no match for the ghost in the tomb, and if Kallig were to succeed, they would need the power to subdue the ghost. Aloysius tells Kallig to go to the tomb of Lord Ergast to learn the Force Walk. A ritual that will allow Kallig to subdue ghosts by absorbing them and their power.

Kallig learns Force Walking from the Ghost of Ergast and adds him and his power to their own. They then absorb Darth Andru.

Upon returning to Darth Thanaton, he confesses that he wishes Kallig hadn’t returned and that because he believes Zash killed Darth Skotia, Sith tradition dictates that Zash and her power structure, including apprentices, must be destroyed. Despite increasing their strength with the power of the Force ghost, Kallig still loses to Thanaton. Kallig realizes they need more power and leaves to find more Force ghosts. After adding two more, they return to face Thanaton again and again fail after losing control of their power. Finally, with their body falling and their various ghosts slowly driving them toward madness, Kallig sought a cure.

Becoming a Darth

Becoming A Darth Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising

On planet Voss, Kallig partakes in the “mind Healing ritual,” allowing them to control the ghost they absorbed. After completing the ritual, Kallig faces Thanaton a THIRD time, and he gets away and runs to the Dark Council of the Sith and begs for a Kaggath with Kallig (Which is basically a Sith trial by combat)

Kallig finally beats Thanaton with the help of their force ghost. Upon Thanaton’s defeat and in light of Kallig’s formidable reputation, they offer to give Kallig the title of Darth Nox and Thanaton’s place on the Dark Council.

Kallig, now Darth Nox, tells their followers that they will soon rebuild the Sith Empire in their image.

It should be noted that “Darth Nox” is the title given only if the player makes more choices that align with the dark side of the Force. If their alignment is more towards the light, then they’ll be called Darth Imperius, and if their alignment is neutral, choosing both light and dark choices, they’ll be called Darth Occlus.

Darth Nox’s Ghost

Force Walking Darth Nox Sith Lord Rising
Image from Fandom

To amass their massive power Darth Nox performs a Sith ritual known as “Force Walking” that allows them to absorb other Sith Force Ghosts. Each ghost increases Nox’s strength by adding the power of another Sith Lord to their own

Once they perform the ritual, the ghost follows Nox, and they have access to their abilities. At first, the ghosts threaten to drive Nox mad, but after they perform the ritual of healing, the ghosts are slaves to Nox’s will.

The ghosts are as followed:

  • Sith Lord Ergast
  • Darth Andru
  • Klatosh Zavros
  • Horak-mul

Apprentices

Through the game, Nox takes on multiple apprentices they assign to do their bidding. In the game, the apprentices play a vital role in the game as each new apprentice joins your party and can help you in battle.

The apprentices in the order that you meet them:

  • Corrin and Kaal.
  • Ashara Zavros.
  • Xivhkalrainik aka Xalek.

Darth Nox Light Saber

Darth Nox Light Saber Sith Lord

Aloysius contacts Kallig and tells them to retrieve their old lightsaber as their inheritance. Unfortunately, Kallig arrives to find Gyl Rosen has stolen the lightsaber. Nevertheless, Kallig fights and defeats Rosen and earns the lightsaber.

The lightsaber itself used a synthetic Kyber crystal making the blade red. The saber had two metal protrusions on either side of the emitter and a small bend at the hilt.

The lightsaber can be dual-bladed or single-bladed, depending on the player’s class.

Darth Nox Appearance

Darth Nox’s appearance is purely based on what the player chooses and is dependent on the race and gender of the character. However, one look has become synonymous with Darth Nox, which is the “Kallig’s Countenance” helmet.

The Ghost of Sith Lord Aloysius Kallig wears this Helmet when you commune with them. Eventually, Kallig recovers the helmet, and the player can choose to wear it.

Separated plates come together to make the cranium of the helmet. Kallig’s Countenance looks vaguely like a human skull with black metal plates making the top of the head, while silver plates make up the brow, zygomatic structure, and jaw. The mouth and nose is a triangular opening with a grill reminiscent of Darth Vader‘s helmet.

The holes for the eyes appear as dark voids that completely hide the wearer’s eyes from view.

Darth Nox’s Legacy

Darth Nox
Image from Fandom

Darth Nox, the slave that would become a powerful Sith lord who sat upon the Dark Council, vowed to reshape the Sith Order in their own image. Sadly that didn’t go as planned, unfortunately enough for them.

Around 3600 BBY Darth Nox disappeared, their power structure was dismantled, and their followers dispersed and went their separate ways.

The in-lore reason for their disappearance is unclear, but I’d imagine the writers realized they wrote themselves in a corner where they had to do something with Nox’s character. Nox became a powerful character, so the writers needed to have Nox achieve their goal of taking over the Empire, or something needed to happen to them to explain why they didn’t. The writers chose the latter and had them vanish so they could revisit the character later.

Outside the game, the Star Wars fan base has fallen in love with Nox. Search online, and hundreds of fanfictions attempt to shed more light on Nox or explore what happened to Nox after they disappeared. Some of them might have been written by me, but I’m not admitting to anything.

At this point, I believe the amount of lore the community has created far exceeds the lore in the game. In a way, the community has made Darth Nox their own, and the love for the characters continues to shine through to this day. You can even find a lot of homemade replicas of Darth Nox’s helmet.

If Nox does ever return, I can imagine it will shake the galaxy to its core.

FAQ

Question: Is Darth Nox powerful?

Answer: Yes, even before they gained more power from ghosts, they could complete trials meant to be impossible for them to complete.

Question: Is Darth Nox a girl?

Answer: It depends on the player’s choice.

Question: What species is Darth Nox?

Answer: It depends on what species the player chooses. Players who choose an “alien” race deal with alien discrimination.

Conclusion

So the question you might be asking is since Disney and Lucasfilm have referenced the games in movies and shows. Is Nox canon? No, unfortunately, they are not. But I would love for them to be. I think their powers and abilities would be interesting to explore. Though their storyline plays fast and loose with the Star Wars lore and canon, even at the time, Nox is a character worth revisiting or reimagining for a new era of Star Wars fans.

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